Game apparatus



Aug. 13, 1940'. J. E; CHAMBERLAIN GAME APPARATUS Filed July 10, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet l hk U l a w fianfitaizam lvrzain INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Au 13,1940. J. E. CHAMBERLAIN 2,211,253 GAME APPARATUS Filed July 10, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 k EV111/ 1/ 11 1 1 1 AN W 1 6 Joan 567162712 kiln 6 II-afllfllll ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

The invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly to a gametable or board.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus ofthis character wherein through the use of a playing area or field andmovable objects scoring may be had for the playing of a game and thewinning of the same, the apparatus being effective for lending amusementand attractiveness to participants in the playing of the game.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of thischaracter wherein the playing field has certain identification orindicia and pockets distributed throughout the same so that in bringingan object in motion through rebound thereof it will roll or drop into apocket and through indicia or identification eifect a scoring for theplayer of a game and this maneuvering or activity of the object inmotion requires of a player a certain amount of skill so as to master ahigh score for the winning of the game.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus ofthis character wherein the checks, tokens, or the like deposited byplayers for identifying selected plays can be collected and deliveredinto a depository, the delivery being had in a novel manner.

A further object of the invention. is the provision of an apparatus ofthis character which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliableand efficient in operation, being susceptible for use as a toy, lendingattractiveness to participants or the players of a game thereby, beingneat in appearance, possessed of artistic characteristics, andinexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of theinvention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus constructed in accordance withthe invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section. 50 Figure 3 is avertical transverse sectional view thereof.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

. Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally theapparatus in its entirety constructed in accordance with the inventionand involves a table having corner legs I0, these being ornamented togive modernistic effect in the design thereof, and a table top or bed IIwhich is formed with a flat upper surface carrying a playing field Bwhich in its creation is made up with longitudinal and transverse spacedparallel lines of demarcation, the top or bed being of elongated orsubstantially rectangular shape and these lines of demarcation presentlongitudinal and transverse rows of square spaces I2 having centrallythereof arched spherical shaped pockets I3 for accommodating sphericalshaped movable playing objects, one being identified at I4. The startingend of the playing field B is indicated by a blank space forming astarting station I5 and into this space or station is corralled theplaying objects I4. One of the objects I4 is assigned to each player orparticipant in the use of the apparatus for the playing of a game aswill be hereinafter described.

The field spaces I2 are colored of hues distinguishable from each other,that is to say, selected spaces I2 may carry a color yellow, others acolor blue, and others a color red While combined with the color schemeof certain of the spaces are symbols, for example, a five point star I6,a horse I! or other symbols, not shown. While such spaces I2 aresupplemented with respect to the color scheme and symbols by indicia asfor example digits I 8, these under the arrangement thereof enableidentification of such spaces by the participants or players of the gamein the use of the apparatus.

For a major portion of one longer side, throughout one end thereof thereis a minor portion of the other longer side of the top or bed II for amarginal framing I9 equipped with a drop door arrangement at 20. That isto say, one door 20 is arranged at the major marginal framing area atone longer side of the said top or bed II, another at the end thereofand another at the minor marginal area at the other longer side of saidtop or bed. These doors 20 are actuated by control rods 2I andconnections 22 therewith, the rods 2I being shifted by hand levers 23pivotally supported bracketed at 24 at one longer side of the top or bedI I. The upper face of each door 20 has created thereon spaces 25corresponding to the spaces I2 in the playing field B carrying thesymbols and color scheme with the digits l8 omitted. These spaces 25 arefor accommodating checks, tokens, or the like used by participants orplayers of a game by the apparatus and such checks, tokens, or the likeare selectively placed according to the election by the players of thosespaces 12 in the playing field B to be played for scoring purposes in agame.

The doors 20 normally close communication to a hopper 26 built beneaththe top or bed II and housing a depository or collecting tray 2'! sothat the checks, tokens or the like can be recovered in the latter, theybeing dumped by the opening of the doors 20 which are manuallycontrolled under manipulation of the levers 23. The doors 20 arenormally in a closed position and lie flush relative to the uppersurface of the bed or top I I.

The end of the top or bed H remote from the starting station it: hasfixed thereto a striking canvas or sheeting 28 which rises above theplaying field B and has roller shade-like connection with a rolling andunrolling shaft 29 journaled in brackets 30 mounted on side guard wings31 attached to and rising from opposite sides of the top or bed H nextto the canvas or sheeting 28. The wings SI are of a construction for theoutward arching of the sheeting 28 to have the striking area of thelatter curvilinear and thereby reversing the course of the ball onrebounding activity. This shaft 29 permits of the tightening or theholding taut of the canvas or sheeting 28 which is in the form of astriking curtain in that the spherical objects [4 when in play areprojected or cast in a direction for the striking of the said curtainand on rebound of these objects the same traverse the playing field B sothat by chance they will drop and become seated in the pockets I 3present in the spaces l2. This action results in the scoring of pointsthrough determined valuations of scoring points in the playing of agame.

The top or bed H has associated therewith at one longer side of the samea scoring panel or board 32 bearing suitable indicia 33 indicative ofscoring valuations for the respective spaces 12 in the playing field B.For example, the spaces l2 carrying the symbol I! have a scoringvaluation of ten points, the symbol [6 a scoring valuation of fivepoints, the spaces l2 being colored yellow having a scoring valuation ofthree points, the red and blue colored spaces one scoring point valuation, and those spaces white a two point scoring valuation.

In the playing of the game it is necessary to send an object l4 over theplaying field B so that the striking of the curtain 28 may beaccomplished by the object and through rebound of this object it willbecome deposited in a pocket 13 for scoring purposes. The participant orplayer accumulating the highest scoring point is the winner of the game.

The top or bed I! in the use of the apparatus must be sustained level sothat the movable ob jects Will not gravitate as would be the case whentraveling on an inclined plane of a playing surface.

It is to be understood of course that changes, variations andmodifications may be made in the game apparatus and also that differentgames may be played thereby as may come within the scope of the claimhereunto appended.

What is claimed is:

A backstop for a game apparatus having a horizontally disposed bed andthrown objects played thereon, comprising side wings rising verticallyfrom opposite side edges of said bed at one end thereof, a curtainroller disposed crosswise of the bed and journaled at the uppermostportions of said Wings for the elevation thereof relative to said bed,and a flexible object rebounder curtain fixed to the bed and roller fordisposition between the wings, the roller being adapted to render thecurtain taut or slackened on the turning thereof, the said Wings beingconstructed for outwardly arching the curtain when rendered taut.

JOAN E. CHAMBERLAIN.

